Skip to main content

US allies rebuff Trump's request for support in Strait of Hormuz

Allies of the United States said they had no immediate plans to send ships to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, rebuffing a request by President Donald Trump for military support to keep the vital waterway open. Trump called on nations to help police the strait after Iran responded to US-Israeli attacks by using drones, missiles and mines to effectively close the strategic channel off its shores for tankers transporting a fifth of global oil supply. Most NATO countries, several of whom have been at the sharp end of criticism from Trump in recent months, are usually wary of angering the White House but are now signalling reluctance to become embroiled in the conflict with Tehran. “What does (...) Donald Trump expect a handful or two handfuls of European frigates to do in the Strait of Hormuz that the powerful US navy cannot do?” German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in Berlin on Monday, as he downplayed threats by Trump that failing to come to Washington’s aid could have conseque...

Larijani alleges 'Epstein network' plotting 9/11-style conspiracy to blame Iran

Senior Iranian politician Ali Larijani has alleged that members of an Epstein-linked network are planning a 9/11-style conspiracy and would seek to blame Iran for any resulting attack. Larijani framed the allegation as part of broader criticism of US leadership, contrasting Iran’s political system with that of the United States and suggesting that hostile narratives could be used to justify action against Iran. In a post on X, Larijani claimed that certain figures associated with the network of late financier Jeffrey Epstein could be preparing a plot intended to frame Tehran, describing it as a scenario similar to the September 11 attacks. I’ve heard that the remaining members of Epstein’s network have devised a conspiracy to create an incident similar to 9/11 and blame Iran for it. Iran fundamentally opposes such terrorist schemes and has no war with the American people. — Ali Larijani | علی لاریجانی (@alilarijani_ir) March 15, 2026 Larijani wrote that Iran’s leaders “have been, and still are, among the people,” while contrasting them with American leaders and referencing Epstein’s private island. The September 11 attacks in 2001 remain widely regarded as a defining moment in US foreign and security policy, leading to major military campaigns and heightened counterterrorism measures worldwide. Larijani currently serves as secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and has been a key figure in shaping the country’s strategic messaging during the ongoing confrontation with Israel and tensions with the United States. Epstein, a US financier accused of running a sex-trafficking ring involving underage girls, died in 2019 while in federal custody in New York while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. Read: US now begging others, even China, to help it make Hormuz safe, says Iran’s FM The Epstein case attracted widespread international attention due to allegations that a number of prominent political and business figures had links to the financier, though many details surrounding the case remained the subject of investigations and public debate. Larijani’s remarks come as Iranian officials continue to use social media platforms to respond to criticism from Western governments and comment on political controversies abroad.

from Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News https://ift.tt/MQb6Udw

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

A bridge collapsed at a cobalt mine in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo killing at least 32 wildcat miners, a regional government official said Sunday. The bridge came down Saturday onto a flooded zone at the mine in Lualaba province, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the provincial interior minister, told reporters. He said 32 bodies had been recovered and more were being searched for. The DRC produces more than 70 percent of the world supply of cobalt, which is essential for batteries used in electric cars, many laptop computers and mobile phones. More than 200,000 people are estimated to be working in giant illegal cobalt mines in the giant central African country. Local authorities said the bridge collapsed at the Kalando mine, about 42 kilometres (26 miles) southeast of the Lualaba provincial capital, Kolwezi. "Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry," said Mayonde. He said ...

US, Philippines kick off joint military drills in South China Sea with 16,000 troops

Some 16,000 US and Philippine troops kicked off the annual joint military drills on Monday in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), local media reported. WPS is the official designation by Philippines to the parts of the South China Sea that are included in the country's exclusive economic zone. The 19-day exercises, dubbed "Balikatan 2024," will involve around 5,000 Philippine and 11,000 US troops, making it the largest joint military drills between the two allies conducted in decades, local English daily Manila Times reported citing the military. A total of 14 nations, including Japan and India, will take part in the drills as observers amid mounting maritime tensions in the South China Sea. Contingents from the Australian Defence Force and the French Navy will also join the exercise as participants. Read also: China urges US to stop using Philippines as a pawn to destabilise South China Sea France will join the group sail but will only navigate on the edge of the Philippine E...

Indian devotees splurge on jets, gold idols as Hindu temple opens

The private jet parking lots at airports near the Indian city of Ayodhya are full and the shops have run out of gold-plated idols, as wealthy devotees prepare for the invite-only opening ceremony of one of Hinduism's holiest temples. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani are among the 8,000 or so attendees at Monday's inauguration event for the Ram Temple, which devotees believe is built on the birthplace of Lord Ram, a sacred Hindu deity. The construction of the temple, which began after the Supreme Court awarded the site to Hindus in 2019 more than two decades after a Hindu mob razed a mosque there, triggering deadly riots, fulfils a key campaign promise of Modi and his Hindu nationalist party. Read BJP-promised temple transforms Ayodhya: Muslims, locals feel neglected The opening ceremony, organised by the trust that built the temple, comes months before a national election which the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is widely expected to w...